


The Stockholm Shuffle

by orphan_account



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Bad Ending, Dehumanization, Execution, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-13 00:57:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4501632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pearl forms a relationship with Peridot after her capture, but Malachite's resurgence could change everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stockholm Shuffle

Pearl was hemming up a pair of Steven’s pants when Peridot entered the house through the screen door.

“Evening Peri,” Pearl said at the sight of her girlfriend.

“Hello, beautiful,” she replied. Pearl blushed as she always did. Peridot stepped over to where Pearl was seated and gently met her with a kiss.

It had been over a year since they finally caught Peridot trekking through the mud outside of Beach City, her gem cracked. Amethyst had wanted to shatter her, but Steven was insistent they take her to Rose’s fountain to get her healed up. Garnet had wanted to bubble her, but Steven was insistent that they keep her in the house. Pearl had wanted her fingers bubbled so she wouldn’t be dangerous, and Steven agreed to that.

It wasn’t long before the young boy became friends with the green technician. Pearl would step out of her room and into sessions of dress-up and pretend games of Star Battlers. Eventually Peridot opened herself up to Pearl, too. When the boy was asleep they would talk about how homeworld was now and how it used to be, about both of their travels through space. Later Peridot began to talk about how afraid she was of them, of dying. Peridots were supposed to self destruct on capture she said, that’s why her gem was cracked when they found her. But she couldn’t go through with it, and wanted to turn herself over.

Pearl was the one who had insisted they give Peridot her fingers back. She was the one who had insisted they expand her privileges. Peridot started to accompany them on missions, and called herself a Crystal Gem. Pearl trained the younger Gem to use her weapon in the sky arena. They would spend days up there. Taking time off to stare at the stars and dream together. Peridot told Pearl all of her insecurities, and Pearl reciprocated the trust. They had become very close. So close that one day Garnet pulled Pearl aside and explained how they were in love and didn't know it. That made sense. As two service Gems living without masters they were both naturally supportive of each other. That night they confessed their feelings and Peridot moved into Pearl’s room.

Since then each day had been wonderful. Peri had really managed to fill the massive hole that Rose had left in her heart. They’d fight together, watch over Steven together. Pearl would fix Peridot’s prosthetics. Peridot would try to dance with Pearl. Pearl would take Peridot to her favorite places on Earth. Pearl would defend Peridot against the others. Pearl protected Peridot.

Pearl was the first to break the kiss. Desire was plastered across Peridot’s face as she pulled away. Peridot was suggesting they retire to the their room when a massive boom shook the temple. Suddenly all the Crystal Gems were in the house with them. They argued about bringing Steven, but the little human wouldn’t be denied. From the beach the ocean looked choppy and restless.

“Gems, positions!” Garnet shouted.

Malachite’s body rose from the depth and crawled onto the beach. The imposing figure of the giant Gem monster loomed over the massed fighters. Before any party could make a move, a shudder split down its frame. The fusion split hard and sent its composite Gems flying off in different directions. Lapis poofed on Impact and Steven ran to tend to her gem. Unfortunately, Jasper didn’t. She hit the ground in a solid three point landing, before standing up and stretching. It looked like she had streaks of turquoise wrapping throughout her skin, permanent scars from such a long time in an unhealthy fusion.

Peridot ran past Pearl before she could even realize what had happened.

“Jasper, kill these savages!” she screamed tossing her a gem destabilizer she had hidden in her right leg. Was that a false surrender?

“You traitor!” Amethyst didn't think so. She charged but was poofed on the end of a hot destabilizer with the flick of a wrist.

“Wow, Rose. Impressive warrior. Who are you going to send next? The Pearl?” taunted Jasper to a horrorstruck Steven. Pearl herself was focused on Peridot who had scuttled to pick up Amethyst’s gem. Peridot had to have a plan, she was with them. She was a Crystal Gem.

“Try and interfere, Pearl, and I’ll blast this runt into a million pieces.” Peridot shouted. No, this was real. Peridot had betrayed her. Did the moments they shared mean nothing? Pearl was vaguely aware of Garnet giving some kind of order before she charged. The fight was went on for a time, but Jasper had clearly learned from their last encounter, and anytime Steven moved to help Peridot would brandish her hostage.

A loud earthy shattering sound and a large gust of wind brought Pearl back to the real world. “Maybe this’ll keep you from fusing!” shouted Jasper as she stepped on the remaining component of Garnet. Another sound and gust. With that, Ruby and Sapphire were gone.

Pearl was screaming. This couldn’t be real. This had to be some kind of nightmare. She heard the discharge of Peridot’s ion cannon, along with a third shattering sound and burst of wind. Pearl couldn’t bare to look. The weight of her friend’s deaths along with the immediate and complete betrayal of her girlfriend brought her to her knees. There hadn’t been any second of doubt in the Green Gem’s eyes. She just ran to Jasper like the rest of them had been nothing to her. Just means to an end, to be thrown away when they were no longer needed.

She heard Steven scream followed by silence. She couldn’t bring herself to move. She couldn’t feel anything. Just the vague and primal sense of dread as death approached.

“What about the Pearl? You think Yellow Diamond wants her for questioning?”

“I’ve already extracted ample information out of her.” That voice filled Pearl with more rage than she had felt since the war so long ago. She summoned her spear and lunged at the large figure in front of her. There was no contest. Jasper was dangling the pearl in front of her by a single arm.

“Aww look, Rose taught it to fight, how cute. You sure you don’t wanna keep it? It’s not like it can do anything without the others.”

“If we’re taking the Steven back with us, I’d prefer to do the calibrations without more dead weight.”

“Why do you keep calling Rose that?”

“Force of habit. Come on, just dispose of it. I’ll buy you a new Pearl with our completion bonus.”

She heard a noncommittal grunt from Jasper. There were so many questions that Pearl would never get answers to. Her rage built up again.

“At least do it yourself, Peridot!” the name was bile in Pearl's throat, “If I really never meant anything to you.”

“Hey, that sounds like a last request, Peri. Looks like you gotta do as it says,” teased Jasper, a massive smile on her face. Somehow hearing the brute using her own nickname for Peridot drained the rest of the fight she had.

“Ugh, stop fooling around, Jasper.”

“What, it’s not like we’re short on time. I just spent an entire cycle trapped with that Lapis at the bottom of this ocean, at least let me have some damn fun." Jasper grinned. "Besides, who am I to get between two star crossed lovers?” she joked as she set Pearl down in the sand.

“Fine,” with that Peridot drew her weapon and traced it up to the kneeling Gem’s forehead. There was a brief pause as she charged the shot before she thoughtlessly loosed the energy projectile through the pearl at the core of her being. A brief ringing sound resonated in Pearl's head before she stopped feeling.

 


End file.
